


Two truths and a Lie

by FountainPen



Category: Paranatural (Webcomic)
Genre: Fluff, Friends to Lovers, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, M/M, Pining for a little bit, Polyamory, a few months after max gets to mayview, and isabel will date alex, anyone in mayview? straight? no, anyway later on Suzy lisa and violet start dating, dimitri is also an ac member, electrobullymagnet, forge is called Stove Dad by the Jang, isaac has two dads, johnny has two moms, johnny is an ac member, kind of, literally every middle schooler i know except one regularly says fuck, max's dad is bi and loves steve trevor, maybe I'll add more chapters but for now she's a oneshot?, rated teen because these middle schoolers swear im sorry, stephen also has two dads, suzy is an amazing person, this is the process of them getting together, we love suzy in this house
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-30
Updated: 2018-06-30
Packaged: 2019-05-30 23:19:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,749
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15106874
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FountainPen/pseuds/FountainPen
Summary: It had been months since Max had come to Mayview, since Johnny had joined the activity club and Dimitri rejoined, and months since Isaac had rekindled his former friendships with the club.More often than not, Max, Isaac, and Johnny were placed together for patrols and missions, because Max could somewhat control Johnny, Isaac could somewhat match Max’s attitude, and Johnny could somewhat match Isaac’s strength. This led to a close friendship between the three, who were affectionately nicknamed Snarky Sparky, and Barky by Isabel, Ed, and Dimitri.





	Two truths and a Lie

Truth. Max liked boys. Two boys in particular, but yes, boys. Being not-straight was never going to be a fearful or taboo thing for Max, his dad regularly announced that he was in love with Steve Trevor from Wonder Woman. The man was a chaotic bi living his best life.

 

Truth. Max tries his darndest to squash down any feelings ever for anything, so the aforementioned two boys are causing some distress in Max’s life.

 

Lie. Max knows how to handle this.

 

* * *

 

Truth. Isaac was panicking. This was to do with guys, because Isaac is a hopeless romantic at heart, and he was hopelessly romantic for two certain guys. Two certain guys that he considers good friends.

 

Truth. Isaac doesn’t know whether these guys even  _ like  _ Guys. Much less if they like him.

 

Lie. Isaac knows how to handle this.

 

* * *

 

Truth. Johnny punches lots of things, but he can’t, as much as he wants to, punch feelings, or worse, the two dudes he’s crushing on. Johnny is unbelievably terrible at not being able to punch his feelings.

 

Truth. Johnny understands his feelings. Johnny just doesn’t know how to act on them, or get them to go away, or whatever will make him stop blushing like a nerd around these two dudes.

 

Lie. Johnny knows how to handle this.

 

* * *

 

Max left school grumbling to himself, which was somehow not an unusual occurrence. The spirit they’d chased after had not only gotten away, but got away with Max’s homework. Homework for an elective that none of the other AC kids took, and as it stands, he knows maybe one student who won’t aggressively investigate the reason Maxwell Puckett lost his homework twenty minutes after he got it.

 

_ Ma _ x:  _ Hey Dimitri _

 

_ Dimitri: Ya? _

 

_ Max: Do you by chance have the Drama homework? Because I no longer have it _

 

_ Dimitri: Uhhhh yeah. _

 

_ Dimitri: How did you even lose it?? _

 

_ Max: A weird demonic pidgeon/frog thing tried grab Johnny with it’s extendable beak/tongue and instead of hitting it with my bat I swatted it with the homework. _

 

_ Max: And then the spirit got away. _

 

_ Dimitri: Isn’t Johnny like, a human torch??? _

 

_ Dimitri: He could have burnt said eldritch abomination’s tongue?? _

 

_ Max: Caught in the moment _

 

_ Max: Plus it was in the school and he’s already burnt one structure down. _

 

_ Dimitri: I’ll send pics of the assignment, but yo, I have a question _

 

_ Max: as long as it’s not a riddle, because Isaac and I dealt with this Sphinx thing that tried to eat us because of it’s bogus riddles on my second day in town. _

 

_ Dimitri: You are a magnet for trouble _

 

_ Max: I am am magnet in general. Ask away _

 

_ Dimitri: U like Johnny and/or Isaac? _

 

_ Max: _

 

_ Max: huh _

 

_ Dimitri: Well? _

 

_ Max: Well what?? _

 

_ Dimitri: Do u or do u not? _

 

_ Max: I mean they’re my friends _

 

_ Max: Why?? _

 

_ Dimitri: You know what I Mean _

 

_ Max: Fine.  _

 

_ Max: Is it *that* obvious? _

 

_ Dimitri: ffdjfajfdfewaff _

 

_ Max: ???? _

 

_ Dimitri: oh man max _

 

_ Max: ...What? _

 

_ Dimitri: im making sure she doesnt say anything _

 

_ Max: what?????? _

 

_ Max: Oh my god _

 

_ Dimitri: i didnt even kno she had it dude im sorry _

 

_ Max: I gotta go _

 

_ Max: just uh send the homework later i guess _

 

_ Dimitri: max? _

 

* * *

__

Max stared at the wall, mentally kicking himself. To be honest, he wasn't at all concerned that Suzy had seen the information about the spirit, he was more concerned with what else she now knew  He should have realized it wasn’t Dimitri on the phone, he shouldn’t have even said anything, he shouldn’t have answered that question-

 

There was no undoing it now, there was no going back, only pretending it never happened and continuing to completely ignore his emotions toward what just happened.

 

Max groaned as his phone went off one more time, a picture of his assignment.

 

* * *

Isaac lay face down on the floor of the Doorman’s house, shouting incoherently as the Doorman watched, sympathetically if confused. Isaac rolled over and his babbling became actual words.

 

“-And I keep trying to like, get them to casually mention it but they’re both so dumb, but that’s one of the things that I  _ like  _ about them and I don’t know what to do!”

 

“Isaac, I may not be… well versed in this particular field, but it might help me assist you if I knew who exactly you’ve developed feelings for.” The Doorman told Isaac, crouching down next to the ginger and patting him on the shoulder.

 

“Ughhhhhhhh.”

 

“Isaac.”

 

“Okay so you remember Max?”

 

“I do.” The Doorman said. He’d been meaning to speak to Isaac about what he’d seen, all those months ago, but every time he tried there was some sort of interruption.

 

“And have I talked about Johnny?”

 

“The red one with arsonistic tendencies and a heart of gold?”

 

“Shut.”

 

“And these are the boys you would like to court?”

 

“Oh my god don’t say it like that.” Isaac groaned into his hands, making the verbal equivalent of a keysmash.

 

“I may not be the most qualified consultant for this.” The Doorman said.

 

Isaac rolled back to face the floor and pretended to be a dust mote.

 

* * *

 

“Boy.” Forge said, pulling Johnny into his spirit world mid wall-punch. “You are troubled.”

 

“Not really  _ troubled _ , yannno?” Johnny shrugged, sitting down. “More… feelings-y than normal’s all. Max sacrificed his homework for me.”

 

“He is one of the two spectrals whom you wish to romance, correct?”

 

“I don’t even know how to romance, so please never refer t’my big dumb crush like that.”

 

“Noted.” Forge said. “You must do as your heart says, Johnny.”

 

“I don’t wanna though.”

 

“Do not lie to me, I know your thoughts.”

 

“I don’t wanna get hurt fer no good reason-”

 

“This is a very good reason, boy.” Forge said gravely. “And I am confident that even if your feelings are not reciprocated, your bond is strong with both of them. You will remain close friends even if they do not view you romantically.”

 

“Still.”

 

“Your fearfulness perplexes me, Johnny.” Forge informed a red in the face Johnny.

 

“Fear- I ain’t afraid, I just- I dunno  _ how to ask _ . I wanna make sure I don’t mess it all up’sall.” Johnny exclaimed, and Forge nodded.

 

“I know not how to confess, but I am satisfied in the fact that you are trying.” Forge said as gently as his demeanor would allow. “I suggest speaking with your friends and asking for assistance.”

 

“I… I think I will.” Johnny said, feeling much better than when he was before he was pulled in by Forge. “Thanks, bud.”

 

“My pleasure, Johnny.”

 

Johnny’s spirit world faded away and he punched the wall anyways, but this time in determination rather than flustered frustration, and ran outside, shouting to his moms that he’d be back soon.

 

* * *

 

Max couldn’t sleep. He was tossing and turning, reliving the mess of a day he’d had. And how his life was most certainly over, because even though everyone claimed not to read Suzy’s dumb paper, everyone did. Everyone was going to know, which honestly, Max didn’t care about. Max was more concerned with the fact that Johnny and Isaac were going to know.

 

Max hated emotions. They got in the way, caused messy situations like  _ this,  _ and never seemed leave him alone.

 

That was Max’s line of thought as he heard is phone ding again.

 

_ (Unknown Number): Max, it’s Suzy. _

 

Ignore.

 

_ (Unknown Number): I’m not going to put it in the paper, man _

 

_ Max: So we’re going for blackmail instead? Great!! _

 

_ (Unknown Number): No way man, that’d be essentially outing you, and I’m not about that. _

 

_ Max: ?? _

 

_ (Unknown Number):I blackmailed you with Death By suspension, remember?  And suspension is one thing. Stephen gets suspended like,,,, three times a year. But outing a person alters their life forever. _

 

_ Max: Dear god, you have morals. _

 

_ Max: Since the possibility of me being Love, Simoned is out of the way, why did you even ask about it? _

 

_ (Unknown Number): No joke, I was just messing around. I didn’t expect an answer tbh _

 

_ Max: Seriously? _

 

_ (Unknown Number): Swear on my readers _

 

_ Max: And you won’t,,, tell them? _

 

_ (Unknown Number): Of course not, _

 

_ (Unknown Number): but I think you should _

 

_ (Unknown Number): I am in no way going to force you, but if you like them, go for it _

 

_ Max: Dude, I don’t wanna ruin everything, we’re friends. _

 

_ (Unknown Number): Exactly! You guys are super close, you’re always together doing whatever in the fresh hell your club does (I’m gonna find out eventually ok), and even if they don’t feel the same, they still care! _

 

_ Max: Suzington _

 

_ (Unknown Number): Not my name, but yes? _

 

_ Max: Did you just say _

 

_ Max: The Hellword _

 

_ (Unknown Number): ...shit _

 

_ (Unknown Number): Wait no _

 

_ Max: I am losing my my mind _

 

_ Max: Suzert Suzington says swears such as shit _

 

_ (Unknown Number): I hate you _

 

_ (Unknown Number): ANywAY _

 

_ (Unknown Number): Maxwell Puckett, age 12, blood type o positive, first pet a goldfish named Flipzy _

 

_ Max: What the fuck how do you even know that _

 

_ (Unknown Number): Unimportant _

 

_ (Unknown Number): I know a subject change when I see one sir _

 

_ (Unknown Number): Now, it’s four am, we have school tomorrow, and you’re gonna man up and do the thing because even if things go pear shaped your cult friends are still gonna be your weird ass cult friends _

 

_ Max: That was… Strangely Uplifting? _

 

_ Max: Thanks? _

 

_ (Unknown Number): donmentionit. The kindness or the swearing, because I have a reputation, but you can tell your boyfriends when you inevitably date them. Good luck, good night, and Good Day Sir _

 

Max snorted, weight lifted from his tired shoulders, and fell asleep, relieved.

 

* * *

 

Isabel was sleeping soundly, happily dreaming of sword fighting a pirate ghost when her phone rang at three thirty in the morning.

 

“Izzy, I need Assistance highkey.”

 

“Don’t use slang words at me it’s too mother flipping early.” Isabel groaned, sitting up and rubbing her eyes. “What kind of spirit is it?”

 

“What?” Isaac asked, and in that moment Isabel was prepared to strangle her friend. “Oh no, different kind of help.”

 

“Is it important enough to warrant waking me up?” Izzy asked. “It better be.”

 

“It is, I swear.” Isaac said earnestly, and as groggy as Isabel was, she could hear a slight shaking to Isaac’s voice.

 

“Spill.” Izzy heard Isaac audibly take in a deep breath.

 

“OkaysoIreallylikeJohnnyandMaxandIdunnowhattodobecausewhatiftheydon’tlikemeback?”

 

“The hell?” Izzy asked, yawning. “I didn’t hear a word of that.”

 

“I- okay- I have  _ feelings _ .”

 

“Gross.”

 

“I know.” Isaac said. “And I don’t know what to do about it, because I don’t even know if the subjects of said  _ feelings _ feel feelings for guys.”

 

“Oh, you’ve finally acknowledged the Max and Johnny thing?” Izzy asked, and Isaac all but  _ shrieked. _

 

“ _ How did you-” _

 

“Cool it.” Izzy said. “I am 99.9999% sure they feel exactly the same way.”

 

“And if they don’t?!” Isaac asked, still on edge.

 

“You, Max, and Johnny are the friendship equivalent of the Journalism club, and even if that .0001% outcome manages to happen you guys are still gonna be tight as all get out.”

 

“Now you’re slanging.”

 

“Yeah, because you’re anime scream woke me up, Goku.”

 

“You think I actually have a shot?”

 

“I know you do.” Izzy said. “Now, it’s like 4 in the morning, fuck off and go to sleep.”

 

“ _ Isabel _ !”

 

“Nope, night.” Isabel hung up, leaving Isaac alone, but encouraged and happy.

 

* * *

 

Johnny crawled into Stephen’s window, falling flat on his back with a thump.

 

“J-man, that you?” Stephen asked, rubbing sleep from his eyes.

 

“Yup.” Johnny whispered back.

 

“S’up dude? It’s halfway through the Devil’s Hour.”

 

“Feelings dude.”

 

“Shit, okay, are we going forth with the plan?”

 

“Nah, no need for murder.”

 

“Damn it. Whatcha gonna do then?” Stephen asked, shoving the box of papers filled with the Jang’s harebrained plans back under his bed.

 

“Well, I was talkin’ta Stove Dad, and he said somethin’ that made sense.” Johnny said. In the darkness he saw Stephen nod, and continued. “He told me that he’d seen me and codes Chartreuse as super close right? And that if I spilled the feelings and got turned down, they’re still my friends.”

 

“Stove Dad’s like, really fucking old, right?” Stephen asked.

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Then he’s wise. Listen to Stove Dad.”

 

“Ya know what? I think I just might.”

 

“Good talk, cap’n.”

 

“See ya later!” Johnny dove back through the window, resolve strengthened further by his friend's words

 

* * *

  
  


Max walked to school alone the next morning, prepared for once in his life to wear his heart on his sleeve. Max had gotten over the utter surrealness of having Suzy give him sound advice, blackmail free that morning while scrolling through his text messages. Max had moved from surreal to jumpy to numb, opting to press down his more distressing emotions in attempt to maintain his composure. He was going to do this.

 

 

Isaac walked to school alone that morning, heart in his throat. He’d never been so nervous. Not even when he’d first met King C, not even when he started talking to the Doorman. Isabel had sent him a text with the word’s ‘go for it, dweebus’ repeated over and over, something Isaac somehow found comforting. He was going to do this.

 

 

Johnny walked to school alone for the first morning in a long time, needing space to think while he had his heart in his hand. The Jang had sent messages of encouragement and well wishes to Johnny and went ahead without him. Determination and anxiety wafted through his head as Forge cheered him on. Johnny was going to do his best not to burst into flame today, but there were no promises. He was going to do this.

 

* * *

 

“Johnny, Max.”

 

“Max, Isaac.”

 

“Johnny, Isaac.”

 

The three said at the same time, before all stuttering and trying to allow the others to speak first.

 

“We could say it at the same time?” Isaac suggested, face as red as Johnny’s hair.

 

“I- uh- yeah. Okay.” Max said.

 

“On three?” Johnny asked, gathering every ounce of courage in his body.

 

_ One _

 

_ Two _

 

_ Three _

 

_ “ _ You guys give me feelings.”

 

“I like you guys.”

 

“I think you guys’re cool and fun ‘nd I like ya.”

 

The air around the three went still. Max stared at the floor, widened eyes hidden by the brim of his hat. Isaac stared at the two of them, face somehow even more red. Johnny stared at his shaking hands, balled up into shocked fists.

 

“Did...you both just?” Isaac asked slowly.

 

“And you…?” Max replied, meeting Isaac’s eye.

 

“So uh-” Johnny said. “S’that a yes?”

 

“Yes, idiot.” Max and Isaac laughed, and Max muttered a quiet “Jinx.”

 

“Was this orchestrated?” Isaac asked. “Like, did someone plan this? Because I talked to Izzy about the  _ Feelings _ .”

 

“Stephen and Forge.” Johnny said.

 

“I somehow ended up texting Suzy?”

 

“How in the-”

 

“Weird story for later.” Max waved his hand. “But she did say that I could tell uh- tell my boyfriends that _Suzy swears._ ”

 

“I love everything about that sentence.” Isaac said. “But also I’m calling bullshit because no way.”

 

“Yeah sorry, I need ta’see some proof.” Johnny agreed.

 

“That I have, Johnny boy.” max said before pulling out his phone.

* * *

 

“All that I’m taking away from this is that you were nervouuus.” Isaac teased Max over the context of his messages from Suzy, just as Izzy walked by.

 

“Isaac you called me at 3:30 in the morning.” Max glanced over at Isaac and grinned as Johnny barked out a laugh at both of them.

 

“Johnny, Captain, My man, my brother.” Stephen said from where the Jang was filming behind a trash can. “You crawled through my window at 3:30 am.”

 

“I…”

 

“So the real takeaway is that these hopeless morons were all nervous?” Izzy asked. “Ed’s gonna lose it when he heard he won the bet.”

 

“Huh?”

 

“There was a betting pool in the school store, and Ed just got himself fourteen starchman stars.” Izzy replied. “Bells’ bout to ring.”

 

“I better head out then,” Isaac said before summoning up all of the adrenaline that had been coursing through his blood and kissing both Max and Johnny on the cheek. “I don’t wanna be late.”

 

As the Jang began attempting to put out the flames dancing on Johnny’s hair and shoulders, Isabel steered Max toward his homeroom, and was stopped outside the door by Suzy.

 

“What are the chances I can get an interview with Mayview Middle’s long awaited Trio?”


End file.
